


Our little gift

by Bluemoondreams



Category: Trolls (2016)
Genre: Angst, Eventual Romance, Family, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mpreg, Post Mpreg, Romance, Single Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-08
Updated: 2017-09-15
Packaged: 2018-12-25 07:43:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12031317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluemoondreams/pseuds/Bluemoondreams
Summary: Well this was a request by ChibiKame. After a one night stand with Creek Branch is with pod, he runs away from home to start a new life.





	1. Chapter one

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ChibiKame](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChibiKame/gifts).



> This was requested by ChibiKame, I hope that they will enjoy the story I have woven for them, this maybe a little slower to issue than my other work I want to make sure it’s perfect! Warnings, mpreg, two males in love eventually, angst quite a lot of it, some darkness, romance and fluff. I don’t own any characters here I just borrowed them for my story. I have dyslexia please be kind about spelling and grammar errors I do the best I can.

Our little gift.

Chapter one:

Branch could hardly believe it had happened but it had, two months ago he had gone to the autumn festival, which wasn’t like him, but Poppy hand pestered and pestered until he had given in at last and attended the annual event. The grey troll had only intended to attend the even for a short while, but as soon as Poppy had seen him the princess had grabbed him and insisted he join in with some of the fun with herself and the snack pack. This was how come some hours later Creek had challenged him to a drinking contest, Branch had never been able to back down from a challenged especially when the self-centred guru was the one who presented him with it.

The grey troll remembered that they had both become very drunk during this contest which he had actually won. The survivalist also remembered that somehow he had ended up alone with the spiritual troll after the contest and then telling Creek about the fact he had secretly been in love with him for years, but he couldn’t recall if the spiritual troll had returned these feelings. They had somehow ended up in the purple troll’s pod, there had been a lot of kissing, Branch blushed brightly as he recalled that he’d lost his virginity to the other troll that night and how wonderful this one night with the guru had made him feel. 

Now there was a problem, he was with pod, Branch knew that there was no way he could tell the spiritual troll or the rest of the tribe, he felt certain dread filling him because the grey troll felt sure that if any of the other trolls discovered he was with pod, then they’d make him give the child up to Creek just because he wasn’t like the rest of them and they wouldn’t want the child to be warped by his strange notions. There was also the fact that the father of his pod hated him with, Branch knew he couldn’t stay here and have Creek hate him for getting with pod, for being in love with him, as well as just for being himself and instantly the grey troll fell to doing something he was good at planning.

Three nights later under the light of a full moon a lone figure well dressed for a long journey, left the bunker carrying a back pack and a bag, the figure placed a note under the edge of the bunker door for any troll who might come there seeking him and then slipped off into the night heading east towards the rising sun. Branch travelled for days he made camp in places he felt were safe on his journey, he had decided to head east to where his grandma had told him the great sea was and to where he knew that he and his pod would be well beyond the reach of his old tribe. 

It took the grey troll four months to reach a troll town by the shores of the sea, the grey troll knew that his time was coming he could feel it and so in desperation Branch knocked on the door of the first troll pod he found in the village. The door was opened by a yellow female troll she took one look at Branch, his size and facial expression and knew exactly what was wrong with him, she quickly called out into the pod. “Grandmother Blossom he is here! Just as the priestess said he would be!” As the female troll called this second part into the pod, she very carefully helped Branch inside, and the said gently to him as she guided him into a side room. “It’s alright we have been expecting you, don’t be afraid you are safe here with us.”

The grey troll gave the other troll a nod to show he understood her words, once he was in the room, the yellow skinned and purple haired troll helped him get his pack off and started to undress him, Branch didn’t think to ask questions or stop the yellow troll the pain was just too much for him to even think straight right now. “I’m Petal, a healer in here training and you are?”

“Branch.” The grey troll hissed out as pain went through him again.

A few moments later a female orange skinned and green haired older troll came in carrying all the tools which she needed for the task ahead. She gave Branch a bright friendly smile, then helped Petal to get him onto the bed his large bump clearly obvious now and then said to him. “I am Blossom, the village healer, we have been expecting you, both you and your child are safe here we who dwell in this place hold you both no harm.”

These were formal words but Branch knew it was a very old promise, one no troll would dare to break and said in a pain filled voice to the older troll. “Thank you, both of you.”

Some hours later of screaming and crying later, Branch and Creek’s pod came into the world, it was wiped clean by Blossom, who handed it across to the grey troll and Petal who had been watching the prosses all night stood close by with the bottle ready so that the grey troll could feed his child. A few moments later the purple and blue pod opened up to reveal a plump toll child, she had purple skin like her father Creek, her hair was bright purple at the bottom and became a royal blue at the top and she had Branch’s bright teal eyes. “Oh she’s beautiful.” Petal said with awe in her voice as she is looking down at the baby troll in her dad’s arms.

Branch placed one of his fingers in hers, she gripped it tightly and giggled happily at her dad. “She is very beautiful and healthy thanks be.”

“Do you have a name for her?” Blossom asked him gently.

The survivalist gave her a nod. “Chrysanthemum. Crystal for short.” As he said this Branch drew his finger from her grip, Petal handed the bottle across and the grey troll fed his daughter.

Blossom gave him a nod and said with a note of satisfaction to her voice. “A beautiful and powerful name, both long and short. Now once you have fed her you should both rest, I will put Crystal in her crib by your bed. I understand if you want to get up but you need to rest, Petal will be here with you for the night so just wake her if you need anything, and I’m sure if Crystal needs feeding she will soon let all of us know.”

“Before you put my daughter in her crib for the night, Petal may I ask you a favour?” Branch said turning his gaze onto the younger of the two troll healers.

“Yes of course you may.” She said instantly, eager to help the grey troll however she could.

“In my back pack, I made the baby a blanket and a rag troll doll would you mind getting them for Chrysanthemum for me?”

“No of course I don’t mind.” The yellow troll assured him, quickly she opened up the back pack, she found the blanket and doll at the top and as she lifted them out was stunned by the quality of their workmanship, and felt awe fill her as she noticed the beautiful complex pattern which had been sewn onto the baby blanket. Petal turned back to Branch, she carried them over to him and as the healer in training handed them to the new father asked in awe filled tones. “You made both of these?”

“I did.” Branch confirmed as he placed the rag troll next to his daughter and then carefully wrapped her in her blanket.

“Branch there beautiful, I hope we get to see more of your work once you are recovered.” Petal told him meaning every word she spoke to the grey troll.

“I would like that, I would like to make my home here in this village with my daughter. Thank you, both for everything, but I need to ask how…What?” The grey troll asked them confused about so many of the things which had been said to him this night.

The older orange troll both hands up at him palms towards Branch in forestalling motion. “We will talk about it all in the morning, now get your rest Branch.” The survivalist knew she was right and gave the older troll a nod, he handed Crystal over to Petal who lay the baby in her crib next to her father’s bed and a few moments later Branch was fast asleep.

When the grey troll woke the next morning he was sore, but felt happier than he had in the longest time, he didn’t even mind that Crystal had woken him in the night to be fed. Branch was slightly aware of his colours returning as he looked down at his new born daughter in his arms, but most of his thoughts were occupied with what he was going to tell Chrysanthemum about her father when the time came. The now blue troll didn’t ever want his daughter to feel unloved or unwanted, so he began to plan for what he would tell her and for the first time in a long time Branch looked away from the past and into the future of what could be. One thing the blue troll knew for sure, he would never lose sight of how happy his daughter had made him or stop being thankful that he had her in his life. Slowly and a little hesitantly Branch began to sing to Chrysanthemum, he was unaware of the two healers and one light pink skinned and mint green haired troll priestess standing spell bound by his angelic singing voice in the doorway until the priestess spoke to him at the end of his song. “Hello Branch, you have a wonderful voice I am Shimmer Rain we have been expecting you.”

The blue troll turned his teal eyes onto her, the power in that gaze made the priestess want to take a step back from him, she gulped, then moved forwards towards this miraculous troll and his child, once Shimmer Rain was at the side of the bed she very politely bowed to Branch showing him the respect she knew he deserved and had never been given. “Greetings midwinters child, with midwinters eyes, one who see not what has passed but what is to come. We welcome you to our tribe and your daughter to, she is blessed with gifts from you and the one you took with love into your arms, heart and soul.”

The blue troll looked at the priestess for a long moment, she waited quietly, her speech had been formal, but Shimmer Rain knew that Branch had known exactly what she had said and what it meant, now all she could do was hope that the loss of his old tribe would be their reward. Slowly the survivalist lowered his head in a small bow, he brought his eyes to meet those of the priestess again and then addressed her in a formal way himself. “My gift was long hidden by my grey state, but my daughter has brought me joy, which has freed my gift once more this I know. I would wish to make our home here with you and your tribe. My daughter is much blessed this is so, I think it would be most wise for those who know such blessings well to show Chrysanthemum how to use her skills for the benefit of all trolls, you priestess I am sure are one such troll. I to shall make sure to turn my skills and my gift to use for my new tribe, I am grateful for this second chance at life and I shall make the most of it.”

The priestess smiled at Branch glad that he had accepted her offer and so said to him. “Then it shall be so, we shall give you a home, you will be part of our tribe. This I promise you, your skills, your gift, you and your daughter, they shall be respected here and cared for.”

“My thanks.” Branch said with a smile for Shimmer Rain, this was it he decided not the end, but the beginning of something new and wonderful, with his daughter and his new tribe at his side.


	2. Chapter two

Chapter two:

After the birth of his daughter the town gave him a disused property, it was an old tree stump and as soon as Branch set eyes on it the blue troll knew that he had come home. The blue troll set to cleaning out the stump and the town’s trolls brought him furniture to use until he could barter for his own or build his own. Branch turned part of the bottom of the tree stump into a work shop so he could make things for the tribe, he would go out into the forest with Chrysanthemum slung against his chest and gather herbs as well as other things from the forest which might be a useful to the healers and the tribe. The blue troll would spend mornings gathering things from the forest, he would eat lunch, then work on various things until it grew dark and this time was spent with Chrysanthemum, he would sing to her and tell her stories even though his daughter was too young to understand them yet.

Branch had to admit, that his new life here with this tribe was a whole lot better than his old one had ever been. Here he was much more excepted, his concerns were taken seriously by the other trolls and his skills were seen as wonderful and beneficial to the tribe. To the blue troll living here in this town was blissful, he still missed Creek and still loved him with all of his heart but here the pain felt a little less raw than it had to him before now.

Shimmer Rain came to see Branch and Chrysanthemum regularly, one evening the light pink troll sat by the fire smiling at the blue troll as he rocked his child to sleep singing a lullaby she had never heard before and once the baby was asleep she addressed the blue troll. “You child is going to make a fine priestess, but she will need training from early on. Branch do you want to talk about the one who fathered her?”

Branch let out a deep sigh as she asked about the one he loved, it was painful even now to him but he knew why the priestess was asking him this, slowly his eyes met Shimmer Rain’s and she could see the pain in them. “I loved him, who am I kidding I still love him, I probably always will. I wish it wouldn’t hurt so much, Crystal is the reason I have colour again and I wouldn’t trade having her for anything. I know one day I will have to tell her about her father, she has most of his spiritual gifts and looks from him hopefully by the time it comes to talk about him maybe it will hurt a little less.”

“Maybe you could start by at least saying his name Branch, the longer you avoid doing so the more power you give it.”

“I know you are acting as my councillor, I know you are right…Creek, his name was Creek. I fell in love with him when I was very young…Then I went grey…He loved to torture me and torment me, I returned it, but still the love I felt for him burnt brightly inside me no matter what happened between us. I had one perfect blissful and perfect night with him and I know now that’s all I will ever have from him, I told Creek that I loved him but he never returned those words and now he never will.”

“Did he know you were with pod Branch?” Shimmer Rain asked him gently.

Branch shook his head, he felt sadness bubbling up in him and looked at Chrysanthemum focusing on the happiness that having her in his life brought to him. “No, I was grey they thought I was strange and Creek hated me…I was sure they would take my child from me and I couldn’t have born that. I’d already lost so much…My mother and father died when I was almost six months old…I have no memories of them. My grandma raised me after that, the one day when I was singing it was so loud that I didn’t hear her trying to warn me of a Bergen coming for me, she was taken in my place and I had no one left it turned me grey.”

“Oh Branch, you went through so much so young. Did none of the other trolls try to help you?”

“Not really, we escaped the troll tree built a new village not long after it happened to me, they had no time due to this…That was their excuse to themselves I think. By the time they thought to help me I had become self-sufficient and was so used to being grey that by then I was beyond help…So they thought, they all gave up on me save Poppy…She never gave up trying to reach me and there were times she did…Poppy was the closest thing I had to a friend at that time.”

Slowly the light pink troll touch Branch’s arm in a comforting gesture, she could practically feel the pain of his past and the priestess could only marvel at the fact that despite it all Branch was still as whole as he was. “From the sound of thing you were not to blame for your grandma’s death and those around you should have tried harder than they did to help you understand all which had happened to you.”

The blue troll smiled at her slowly. “I know that now, with my colours back I know that my grandma wouldn’t have wanted me to blame myself for her death and she would wish me to live a happy life. Sometimes now I have colours once more I feel her spirit near me, I know my grandma is there watching over me and Chrysanthemum.”

“I would like to keep talking to you about all of this. I know you find your gifts a little worrying as they have been dormant in you for a long time, but you should be frightened of accepting your visions and your ability to feel spirits. Chrysanthemum has inherited those gifts from you as well as those from her father she will need to see you accepting yours so that she can accept and not fear her own gifts.”

“I understand.” Branch assured her and he looked at Shimmer Rain and gave her a smile. “Thank you for counselling me, Shimmer Rain.”

The priestess smiled widely at Branch. “I am hoping I can be your friend as well as your councillor Branch. I know gaining your friendship will take time, but I want you to know that I wish to be your friend.” After she said this Shimmer Rain left the blue troll alone with his daughter.

Sure enough as soon as Chrysanthemum was two her gifts began to make themselves known and Shimmer Rain began to teach her how to control them and use them. Branch never stopped the priestess from teaching his child, the blue troll wanted her to have all of the teaching that he had never had. The blue troll would often sit in the room while Shimmer Rain taught Chrysanthemum, sewing blankets for adults and children as well as rag troll dolls for the children of the village. Branch changed his clothes from his old ones so that he now wore too long well fitting brown trousers and a simple green vest open at the front as his old top had been

 

By the time Chrysanthemum was five she had been learning to control her gifts for many years now, she was well on her way to being ready to be a full priestess, she had also been learning many things about nature, survival and how to defend herself from her dad. As she had gotten older the little purple troll tied up her hair because she knew that it’s little flip back at the top made her dad sad and Chrysanthemum didn’t like to see him upset. The young purple troll wanted to ask her dad why it made him sad, she felt sure it had something to do with her father, but her dad never talked about him much as this also made him sad. There was one thing which Chrysanthemum knew for sure, this was that despite the sadness her dad felt over her father, he still loved him with all of his heart.

The little purple troll knew something was wrong when her father suddenly gripped his work top and swayed slightly on his feet. “Chrysanthemum, run and fetch Shimmer Rain, tell her…Uh tell her a vision is coming to me and to hurry!”

She shot out of her home, Chrysanthemum dashed to the priestess’s pod and hammered on the door as hard as she could. It was opened a few moments later by Shimmer Rain, she took one look at the out of breath young purple troll and knew something was very wrong. Chrysanthemum manages to gasp out. “Dad, vision, hurry.”

“Of course!” Quickly Shimmer Rain grabbed a bag from behind the door, she lifted up the younger troll and placed her up into her hair before running towards their home. As soon as the priestess came through the door she noticed Branch swaying holding onto the work top, quickly she got Chrysanthemum out of her hair and made her way over to a troll who was now her dearest friend. Shimmer Rain carefully prised his fingers from the top, she led Branch to a chair and settled him into it. The pale pink troll turned towards the worried younger female troll, she gestured Chrysanthemum over and then said to her. “This is the first time you’ve seen your dad receive a vision, yours do not work the same as his, but this will show you what one can be like for your dad. Now don’t be scared he may sound and look a little odd but that’s just the vision talking alright?” Chrysanthemum gave the priestess who she called aunty a nod, she watched the older female troll closely as Shimmer Rain brought out a pad and a pen before she turned her attention back to her dad and said calmly. “Branch, open your eyes, let the vision come I’m here and I have paper and a pen ready.”

Branch’s eyes popped open they were completely black, Chrysanthemum found this very strange, at the same time though she knew her dad wasn’t seeing the here and now but into what was to come. Then as her father began to speak his voice was strangely very deep and commanded you to listen to his every word. “I see the princess Willow, three suitors will come forth for her hand…Two only seek power and one seeks her heart.”

“What should we do oracle?” Shimmer rain asked him respectfully.

“Set a test, one which cannot be solved with strength, nor with cunning, but with wisdom and with kindness. He shall be the only one to past this test and win the princess, he will bring with him many blessings for the tribe. To make sure that the three know from the start they shall all face the test one by one, they shall not be allowed to tell each other what the test is and only one can win and take from them their word of honour that if they fail they will leave in peace.” 

Shimmer rain quickly wrote all of this down and then spoke to Branch again. “Is there anything more you see oracle?”

Branch shook his head, then his eyes closed, when they opened again they had gone back to their normal bright teal colour. Shimmer Rain gently touched his shoulder, the blue troll looked at his friend and blinked a few times before saying to her. “Was what I told useful?”

“Yes, now don’t move, rest I know visions cost a lot of energy.” Quickly the light pink troll stood up, she went into their kitchen, Shimmer Rain came back a short while later with a glass of water and a slice of cake. “Drink and eat.” The priestess ordered Branch.

He didn’t argue, the blue troll felt far too tired to do so, he took the glass of water sipped some water, then a few moments he placed the glass to one side, then Branch took the plate with the cake on it and ate it ravenously. When the last of the slice of cake was eaten the blue troll sat back, he let out a sigh of contentment and then said softly. “Thank you Shimmer Rain, that’s much better.”

“You are welcome Branch.” The priestess turned to Chrysanthemum and then said to her. “Always remember to have cake or cookies and water with you when you plan to seek a vision, as you have seen you will need it. You dad always keeps something in the kitchen for after his vision, he knows they could come to him at any time and so your father is always ready for them.” Chrysanthemum gave her teacher a nod and committed this lesson to her memory, next time she promised herself she would be ready to help her dad just as Shimmer Rain had been. After this vision was proven to be very accurate Branch was given the title of tribe oracle by the grateful King and Queen of the tribe.

 

When Chrysanthemum was seven Branch felt it was high time that he told her something about her father, she knew her gifts mostly came from him now and that other gifts came from him, but the blue troll was aware of the fact that his daughter had questions about her father. So that evening as they sat together Branch, sat on the sofa by his daughter, he put an arm around her and then said softly. “I loved your father very much, I still do, you were the most wonderful gift he ever gave me. You look a lot like him, his skin, my eyes, his hair style but with mine and his colours.”

“How long were you in love with father?” The pale pink troll asked her dad softly.

“Oh for the longest time, I could never tell him, I wished I was brave enough for the longest time and then one night I just let all of that love I felt for your father out. It was this love which created you…I would never change that Crystal, my beautiful little flower. You gave me joy and hope, you brought me out of the darkness.”

Nervously Chrysanthemum asked. “Was he…Was he a kind troll?” 

“Yes, I wish I could have told him about you, but…But, I was…They probably would have taken you from me and I loved you too much to lose you even though you weren’t born yet. You were the one piece of him I knew I would get to keep, so I kept you safe and loved you. I know you’ve had lots of questions about him, I will do my best to answer them my little flower, but it is painful for me, I loved him and him only my whole life…”

“Do you think he might have been your soulmate dad?”

Branch let out a deep sigh but answer this question. “I really don’t know for sure, but deep down inside of me…Yes I think your father was my soul mate…I can’t help but think maybe that’s why I’ve never had someone of my own to love since him.”

Chrysanthemum leant against her father and said to him softly. “You must miss him.”

“I do…I try not to, but I’m not sure if it will ever go away. Maybe someday I will find a troll I can love as I did your father…”

“But you don’t think you will.” His daughter said to him with that perception only a child is capable of.

Branch shook his head. “No I don’t think I ever will.”

The little troll cuddled up to her father. “Would you like to see him again.”

“I…Yes, I would like to tell him about you and that I love him one more time.” The two sat together side by side on the sofa cuddled up together, in silence, both of them contemplating Creek in very different ways. Branch still dreamt of him, of that one night they spent together, more often than not the dream was a fantasy of how he would have liked that night to have gone rather than how it did. The words which Creek had spoken the morning after he had given him his virginity still stung and Branch tried his hardest to forget them. ‘That was an interesting night, you must have been really desperate for affection to let me take you like that. I deserve so much better than you so this won’t happen again.’ Those horrible words made Branch hope with all of his might that Creek didn’t remember him saying that he loved him.


	3. Chapter three

Chapter three:

Today Chrysanthemum was nine, she was really looking forward to tonight because she would at last go through the ritual to become a full priestess of the tribe and go to seek her first vision. The young purple troll had to admit that she was glad that she didn’t receive her visions in the same way as her dad did, as having not control over them would have driven her crazy and Chrysanthemum had nothing but respect for her father’s ability as well as the way he coped with it. Branch had made his daughter a beautiful chocolate birthday cake, he had decorated on the top in icing which he had shaped in the form of the flower she was named for. Chrysanthemum had to admit she had never seen such a beautiful cake in her whole life before, it filled her with awe as her dad’s creative gifts often did, so the young purple troll had thanked her father for the cake and hugged him hard.

Branch’s birthday gift to his daughter was a new handmade wooden comb for her hair the handle of which was again styled as a Chrysanthemum and he had also made her a new blanket for her bed as her old one was completely worn out. Over the day they had visits from many of the other trolls of the tribe, they all wished Chrysanthemum a happy birthday and some of them gave her various gifts on this special day.

As the evening drew in the extremely excited young troll dressed into her light purple shimmering long priestesses dress, with wide belled shear sleeves and when she came into the main room of the tree stump Branch was waiting for Chrysanthemum. He smiled at his daughter widely, she looked so beautiful tonight, more grown up than she had ever looked before and the blue troll said softly to her as pride filled him. “You look beautiful my little flower”

“Thank you dad.” Then as the purple troll looked at her dad the sight of him dressed as he was tonight had the purple troll smiling at him. The blue troll wore a pair of formal dark blue trousers, a white shirt with balloon sleeves tied at the wrists and with a high neck. “Oh, dad you look so handsome tonight!”

“Thank you Crystal, I wanted to look my best for your special night.” He told his daughter with a soft smile and then gave her a twirl.

Chrysanthemum giggled, the young troll walked over to him, she hugged her father hard and then said to him. “You’re going to turn heads tonight.”

Branch returned the hug he didn’t comment on the fact that he didn’t want to turn any heads other than Creek’s the blue troll knew he didn’t need to tell his daughter that as she already knew that he only had space for her and her father in his heart. “Come on or we will be late.”

The two trolls broke their hug then together they left their home and made their way to the beach were the ceremony was to be held. As they came closer to the area a huge bonfire could be seen burning brightly there, Shimmer Rain was waiting for them beside it along with the royal family and all the trolls of the tribe. As Branch and Chrysanthemum came into view she, all the trolls of the tribe and the royal family smiled at them they were all here to act as witnesses for this ceremony. Suddenly Chrysanthemum felt a little nervous about what was going to happen tonight, but becoming a priestess felt so very right to her, so she took a deep breath and got ready to begin the ceremony. It was as if Branch felt the nerves of his daughter, he took her hand into his, he gave it a quick squeeze, let go of the hand again and then smiled down at her. Chrysanthemum looked up at him and then smiled back grateful for this simple comforting and loving act on her dad’s part.

When the two of them reached the edge of the clearing around the bonfire Shimmer rain stepped forward towards the fire opposite from them and then spoke. “We have come here tonight so that Chrysanthemum can become a priestess to our tribe. We give thanks to her father Oracle Branch for his precious gifts and for the gift of his daughter who just as he is, is a blessing to our tribe.” When she finished saying this the light pink troll gave him a polite bow thanking him for all he did.

Branch bowed his head a sign that he accepted this thanks from her on behalf of the tribe and then he spoke in a proud voice. “I give my full permission this day for my daughter to become a priestess to the tribe.”

Once he said these words Chrysanthemum walked forward she met Shimmer Rain before the fire, the older troll could see how nervous the younger female troll was, she gave her a comforting smile and then spoke to her. “Dance for the fire, let us see if the spirits hear you.”

After Shimmer Rain said this she moved back giving the younger troll plenty of room to dance in and then slowly some of the trolls started to play a slow music. Chrysanthemum took a deep breath, she began to dance, her moves were slow, they were like a form of ballet and yoga mixed together. Branch smiled at his child as she danced, the blue troll was so incredibly proud of her tonight, Chrysanthemum had grown into a beautiful and well balanced young troll and she looked so peaceful and beautiful as she danced.

Slowly but surely the bonfire which Chrysanthemum was dancing before turned green a sign that the spirits were listening to her, as this happened the young purple troll felt a surge of wonder and victory go through her as this meant now she was a priestess and could now seek her first official vision. As the music came to an end Chrysanthemum drew her dance to its finish as well, the tribe all clapped and cheered for her both awed by her dance and happy to have another priestess. The young troll smiled around at them, she shared a wider smile with Shimmer Rain and an even bigger one with her father, who smiled back at her his pride in her was clear to see in his eyes and seeing this made Chrysanthemum feel extremely delighted.

With this part of the ritual done, Shimmer Rain then addressed the royal family with extreme formality. “Do you King and Queen of our tribe accept that if the new priestess should return with a vision that requires immediate action that you will take it?”

King Oak spoke in answer to this question in a very serious voice. “We accept this and we shall lend the vision of the new priestess all the aid we can render it.”

After he said this Shimmer Rain then took the young purple troll’s hand into hers and she then took her over to a waiting boat. This boat would take the new priestess to a sacred island were Chrysanthemum would go through the next part of the ceremony alone. In the boat, there were two adult male and two female trolls in the boat waiting for her this wasn’t normally done during this ritual, but because Chrysanthemum was still very young it had been decided that she should not sail herself out to the island or be left there on her own for the night as would have normally been done. The young purple troll got into the boat, it set off towards the island, the tolls of the tribe and royal family went back to the village, but Branch and Shimmer Rain stood side by side watching the boat until it was out of sight. 

The blue troll let out a deep sigh, he felt both glad for his child that she was following her dream and at the same time scared that something terrible might happen to her or come to Chrysanthemum in her very first vision. The pale pink troll placed her hand onto the shoulder of Branch, she gave it a comforting squeeze and then spoke to him in comforting tones. “Chrysanthemum is going to be fine. We’ve taught her all of the skills which she needs to get through this night.”

“I know Shimmer Rain…I just hope my daughter doesn’t receive anything to terrible this first time as a vision.” Branch said softly and then after a few moments of silence he spoke to his friend again. “I think her grandma will watch over her tonight.” Shimmer Rain smiled at him as he said this, she felt sure that Branch was right, the priestess had sensed his grandma’s strong spirit around their home sometimes herself. After her saying this to him, the two trolls made their way back to the town and to their homes for the night. Branch felt sure that he wouldn’t sleep much that night, so the blue troll decided he would drink an herbal tea which he knew would help him to get some sleep. As the Branch settled down in his bed in his tree stump home, the blue troll hoped with all of his heart that everything would go well for his daughter tonight, he then drank the tea and lay down to sleep. This night the blue troll found himself dreaming of Creek that night, but the dream wasn’t his usual one of the perfect night with the one he loved, instead in this dream the purple troll was calling his name and desperately reaching for him.

 

Chrysanthemum had reached the sacred island, the older trolls made camp on its beach so they would not disturb her ceremony and the younger troll made her way from there to the alter high up on the island. When she reached it on the top of the hill of the island, Chrysanthemum took a few moments to herself before she continued with her ritual, she looked up at the star filled night sky it looked beautiful and the moon tonight was a perfect white orb. Chrysanthemum took a deep breath, the purple troll found a torch by the side of the alter, she lit it, then lit the fire on the ancient altar and as soon as this was done Chrysanthemum felt peace come over her, it felt like something had slotted into place at long last. The young female troll brought out of her hair a leaf sleeping bag, she climbed into it, looked back up the starts for a few moments, after this Chrysanthemum closed her eyes and she then went to sleep wondering what her first vision would be.

Not long after she closed her eyes the purple troll the vision slowly came, it was of a village of trolls, she could see that this place had been deserted because of some large creature that had discovered it, Chrysanthemum heard a voice which was neither male or female call this creature Chef. She watches as none of the trolls of the tribe is caught by her, as these trolls have been keeping watch for this large clearly vicious creature, the voice in the vison told her they had been doing this since her dad had left them and it was in this moment that Chrysanthemum realised that these trolls in this vision were those her dad had left behind after he had conceived her. The little purple troll watched as Chef stayed in the village trying to find the trolls, this had forced them to hide at first in the bunker which her dad had built there, and then eventually to take what they could, then flee their home just as they had fled the danger of Chef once before. Chrysanthemum watched them as these trolls went through many hard times, King Peppy had died suddenly on their journey, his death had forced Poppy to become Queen of the tribe and slowly the pink troll became less happy then she had been before all this, but also a little wiser too and the pink troll was not alone the rest of the tribe is now more sad and cautious than they had once used to be.

Suddenly in her vison Chrysanthemum drawn to the one grey troll of the group whose hair looks so much like hers, she has to wonder if this troll from her dad’s old tribe might just be her father and this made her feel a sudden thrill chase through her, this could be wonderful news for both herself and her father if he was coming to them at last. The voice of the vison tells her that his name is Creek, for the first time Chrysanthemum knows her father’s name and she holds this new and precious knowledge close to her heart. The voice goes on to tell her that went grey, because he knows that it is his fault that Branch left them and that it was the leaving of the one troll watching out for them and protecting them all which had resulted in all of their villages misfortune. Creek also turned grey because he felt like a fool, he felt he should have told Branch the truth that he loved him, rather than trying to protect his pride that morning when he had woken up to unexpectedly find the grey troll in his bed beside him after the night they had spent together.

Chrysanthemum’s vision then moved to the present time she can see those left from the village are settling in the forest near to their town and this gives the young purple troll even more hope that maybe her father and dad could be brought together once more and maybe her dad could also make peace even friendships with those he left behind. Then suddenly her vision began to predict what was to come, the young troll could see an Ebony Cat coming out of the undergrowth it starts to attack the traveling trolls going after the grey Creek. A few moments later Chrysanthemum woke from her vision, she sat bolt upright breathing hard, the purple female troll knew that she didn’t have much time. Quickly she put out the fire, gathered up her sleeping bag and then rushed back to the boat, a feeling of panic giving her feat wings. As soon as Chrysanthemum arrived on the beach the older trolls could tell that something very important had come to her during the night. Quickly they got her into the boat, with the blessing of a prevailing wind they soon made it back to the village, Chrysanthemum jumped out of the boat, she ran to the royal pod and knocked loudly on the door.

A few moments later the door to the pod flew open to show Queen Mist, she took one look at the child before her and quickly ushered the young troll into the royal pod. As soon as Chrysanthemum was inside the pod, she sat down, the new priestess told them of her vision and quickly they snapped into action. Healers were summoned, warriors were gathered, as this was being done the little purple troll felt relief and hope starting to fill her, she felt that now there was a chance to save these trolls and her father. When everything was ready Chrysanthemum as the one who had received the vision was the troll to guide them to were these trolls were.


	4. Chapter four

Chapter four:

Chrysanthemum quickly led the trolls through the forest, after a short while they heard the cries of fright and screams of terror ahead of them. As soon as they heard this noise the tribe of ocean trolls dashed forward into the clearing were the colourful trolls had made their camp for the night and instantly set to attacking the black cat in the clearing. The bright trolls couldn’t help but stared as these trolls poured into the clearing, they were amazed as these trolls fought the Ebony cat with a unification which marked years of training. It wasn’t therefore much of a surprise to the colourful troll that these other trolls soon had the black cat fleeing the clearing back into the forest. 

As soon as the ocean trolls felt sure that the Ebony cat had truly left they set up guards around the edge of the clearing just to be sure that it would be spotted if it tried to return. Chrysanthemum, the healers and the head of the royal guard moved towards the awed colourful trolls, noting the crown on the top of the head of the pink troll they all bowed or curtsied to her. “We are the ocean troll tribe, the vision of our new priestess Chrysanthemum brought us to you. I am Shell the head of the royal guards.” The female bright green skinned and yellow haired troll told them as she indicated towards the younger purple troll when she told them of the priestess.

The younger troll smiled at them all, Chrysanthemum felt very happy and excited to meet all these trolls and hopefully her father, the new priestess wanted to tell them all she knew who they were, but something deep inside Chrysanthemum told the young troll that this should be left to her father and so instead she asked the Queen. “Does any troll need a healer?”

Poppy shook herself out of her shock and then said in answer to this. “I am Queen Poppy and yes we do need a healer Creek has been hurt.”

One of the healers followed the Queen to the troll in question, the healer quickly looked him over, he carefully cleaned the wounds on the grey troll up and then bound them up. “The wounds should heal quickly, they are not too deep fortunately, but we should bring them all back to town where they will be safe from harm.” The healer told Shell his voice serious.

The green troll gave a nod of understanding. “Agreed, trolls help each other after all. Will you accept our shelter and assistance Queen Poppy?”

“We would be glad to, after our long journey we could use a safe place to settle in…being close to another tribe would probably be of a benefit to us as will your help, we have been through a great deal up until now.” Poppy told them with honesty, she felt relieved that these trolls had been guided to them by this very young, but clearly powerful priestess. The pink troll felt hope filling her for the first time in a long time, she thought that maybe they had found somewhere were they could be safe and build a home at long last.

With these words from the pink Queen the healers and guards quickly fashioned out of nearby leaves a stretcher to carry the hurt Creek back to the town in. Once the hurt grey troll was on the stretcher they then guided the colourful trolls back through the forest and to their town by the ocean. By the time they arrived at the troll town it was dawn, the whole ocean tribe was standing there waiting for them, right at the front were the King, the Queen, another older priestess and a blue troll who looked furious. As soon as he noticed Chrysanthemum, the blue troll strode forward with a look of furry and concern on his face and called to her in a worried voice. “Chrysanthemum!”

“Dad!” She called back happily, the little purple troll ran forward, when she reached him the young troll tackled the blue troll in a tight hug.

“You scared me going off like that!” He told her hugging his daughter back for a few moments and then he held her back from him at arms length clearly looking her over for any wounds.

Chrysanthemum looked up at him with bright teal blue eyes which pleaded with Branch for understanding as she said to him. “I’m sorry dad, but I had to save them and I didn’t have much time, as it is one of the trolls already got hurt by the Ebony cat!”

The blue troll let out a deep sigh he knew that his daughter was right so some of the fight went out of him, but Branch still had some of the remnants of worry left in him and the blue troll knew he would feel that concern for some time to come. “I understand, but you know I worry about you my little flower.”

Slowly he looked from Chrysanthemum, to the trolls she had rescued and as soon as Branch set eyes on them he recognised the members of his old tribe and he fought not to panic. When Poppy had seen this male troll’s reaction to his daughter going on this trip without telling him and then got to see his bright teal blue eyes the Queen felt absolutely sure she knew who this troll was and whispered with disbelief clear in her voice. “Branch?”

Slowly the blue troll smiled at her and then said to the other troll. “Hello Poppy, it is good to see you again. I see you became Queen since I left the tribe…”

Before the pink troll could say anything more to Branch the King of the tribe addressed him in a serious tone of voice. “You know these trolls Branch?”

“Yes King Oak, they are of my old tribe.” The blue troll told the royal troll.

King Oak turned his full attention onto Poppy, under his intense bright green gaze she suddenly felt unfit to be Queen. “I see. You are welcome to shelter here with us and if you so wish to build your home near to us once your people are strong enough to do so Queen Poppy.”

“Thank you King Oak.” The pink troll told him grateful for this tribes freely offered help.

Chrysanthemum really wanted to have her dad and Creek close to each other, the young troll hoped that if this happened then they might reconcile and find love with each other again. So Chrysanthemum decided to try to convince her dad to let Poppy, Creek and their friends say with them, she tugged on the hand of her dad and then said to him softly. “Dad can Queen Poppy, Creek and her friends stay with us please? We have room for them all and you know how to tend to Creeks wounds.”

Branch took a deep breath he let it out, he felt unnerved by the idea of having the troll he still loved so close to him again but he didn’t have the heart to deny his daughter, the blue troll gave Chrysanthemum a nod then spoke to Poppy, Creek and the snack pack. “You can all stay with us until Creek is healed and you can all build yourselves new homes.” Once Branch had said this to them he then guided them to their home, soon the snack pack where all settled in the spare rooms of their tree stump home. The healers left instructions with Branch on how to take care of Creek’s wounds, as well as what he should feed the hurt troll in order to help with his recovery. When the blue troll came into the room the now grey troll lay in Poppy was sitting by his bedside, they both looked at him, Branch knew that they had lots of questions to ask him, so before they could ask any of them the blue troll addressed them. “I came to bring Creek his medication, as well as something for you both to drink and eat. I’ve already given the others something to eat and drink, they have gone out to explore the town.”

As Branch walked across the room towards the bed, the pink troll was the one to find her voice out of the two of them first. “You have a beautiful daughter did you adopt her Branch?”

“No, I birthed her.” The blue troll told her simply trying not to panic as he told his old friend this much about Chrysanthemum.

The eyes of the Queen went wide and she said in a very shocked voice. “I didn’t know that you could carry a pod.”

Branch gave a small shrug and gave her a gentle smile as he did his best to try to hide his thundering heart from both Poppy and Creek. “It’s rare, but does happen if there is enough love in that troll for the one they are with.”

“Oh I see, were is your partner then?” Poppy asked him very curiously.

“I don’t have one, Chrysanthemum is nine.” Branch told her, leaving the young Queen to work out exactly what this meant, as he placed down the tray on which was the food, drinks, medication and bandages for both of them on the bedside table.

As the blue troll told her this the eyes of both Poppy and Creek went wide and the pink troll whispered out. “But that would mean you were with pod when you left us.”

“Indeed I was.” Branch said very softly.

For Creek hearing this made him feel like his insides were being torn out of him, he couldn’t stand the idea of some other troll having touched the one he loved, Creek found that he just had to know if he was Branch’s daughters father and so he finally found his voice and asked the troll he still loved even now. “Who…Who is Chrysanthemum’s father?”

Branch doesn’t meet his grey blue gaze and said in a soft sad voice. “It doesn’t matter, I love her dearly, she is my greatest treasure and the reason I am blue once more.”

The grey troll wanted to ask him again this question again, but Creek knew that the ever stubborn Branch wouldn’t give him a different answer from this first one and the purple troll decided that for now he would not ask the blue troll this question again. Branch’s bright teal blue eyes met Creek’s grey blue for the first time, the grey troll wished with all of his might that he could pull the other troll in for a kiss but he felt sure that if he tried that, the blue troll would wounded or not hit him. Slowly Branch carefully pulled the sheets back from Creek, the blue troll carefully removed the current bandages from over the wounds on the grey troll, then Branch inspected the wounds as he did so he felt sympathy for the other troll the wounds were quite deep and were going to take some time to heal. “I’m sorry this is going to hurt a little.”

“I understand.” Creek assured him.

Branch pressed the medication to the wounds, the purple troll hissed with pain as he did so, the blue troll worked carefully and thoroughly making sure to clean and then treat all of the wounds, then he covered them back up with bandages in order to keep them clean as well as stop the bleeding. When he finished going this the blue troll looked down at the grey troll, he wanted to ask Creek what had happened to him to turn him grey but he wasn’t sure that he was ready to hear the answer to this question, so instead Branch said to the other male troll. “If you should need anything don’t hesitate to call me and don’t forget to eat the two of you.” Once he had said this the blue troll slipped back out of the bedroom leaving Creek and Poppy alone again.

The pink troll looked at the grey and said softly to him. “Chrysanthemum is your child isn’t she?”

“I think so.” Creek said with a sad nod to the Queen.

“Oh Creek.” Poppy said to him softly, she had known that her friend had blamed himself for Branch leaving them, but she hadn’t known why and now that Poppy felt that she did know at least some of his reasoning behind this belief, the Queen started to understand why her friend we now grey. The pink troll couldn’t help but think that Creek had a lot to make up for with Branch, but she hoped that somehow everything between these two trolls would come to a happy conclusion.


	5. Chapter five

Chapter five:

It didn’t take long for Creek to recover from his wounds, over this time Poppy had found a place close to the ocean troll town to make the home for her tribe, one which would mean that the two tribes would always be close to each other. Branch had slowly started to build a relationship with Poppy and the other members of the snack pack, save Creek, the blue troll did his best to stay at a distance from him and it drove the grey troll crazy and made him feel even more guilty about his actions after their one night together. Creek yearned to apologise, to grab Branch kiss him, beg him to forgive him, the grey troll wanted to tell him he’d lied that night and that he loved him he always had but Creek couldn’t bring himself to be rejected by the troll he loved. The trolls of his old tribe had been quick to notice that although now blue Branch still didn’t sing or dance much, he was still cautious and observant, but at the same time he smiled more than he used to and was clearly happy with his life here in this town with his new tribe.

The snack pack had quickly discovered that Chrysanthemum was a lovely and kind child, she had a lot of spiritual gifts just like Creek once had before being grey prevented them from working, at the same time though Chrysanthemum had a stubborn and practical side which clearly came from Branch. The little troll got to know Creek, Poppy and the snack pack slowly but surely, she came to like all of them, but at the same time Chrysanthemum really felt that Creek was her father, but she didn’t want to ask her dad if he was and tried to keep herself from becoming too excited or hope to much in case it turned out the grey troll was not her father as she thought he might be.

The young purple troll had told them about her dad’s gift, she explained that Shimmer Rain the town priestess felt that Branch’s continued warnings of Bergen’s coming to get then during his time with their tribe was actually his gift trying to work despite the fact his grey colour should have meant that it shouldn’t be working. Chrysanthemum also warned, Poppy, Creek and snack pack that her dad had no control of his visions, they just came to him and the young purple troll also told them how to deal with one if it happened when she was not there.

Creek came into the main room of the tree stump, he noticed Branch was swaying on his feet, quickly the grey troll was at his side, he helped to support the wavering troll and said to him in an urgent voice. “Branch!?”

Slowly the eyes of the blue troll opened they were pitch black, he seemed not to look at him but through him, in that moment Creek knew what was happening and yelled. “Poppy grab a pencil some paper and come in here Branch is having a vision! Easy Branch, easy, I have you.”

Poppy came rushing into the room with the pencil and the paper, she looked at Branch leaning on Creek and had to repress the urge to smile at the sight of them together at last and instead she said to the grey troll. “I’m here and I have the paper and pencil!”

“Good, Branch what are you seeing?” Those black eyes rested on Creek and despite the fact that this gaze frightened him the grey troll refused to flinch as this happened. “Please what do you see?”

Branch spoke then. “I see Poppy…” As he said this he turned his gaze in her direction. “I see you…Poppy you’re heart has settled on the prince of my tribe Mist, listen to me Queen of the colourful trolls and heed me well as this I will only tell once. The prince has had his heart hurt, he trusts not easily, show him your heart, show him your love, do not give in, be stubborn and you shall win him and be happy with him always.”

“Thank you Branch.” Poppy said softly, as she looked up from her writing at Branch.

“Branch please look at me.” Creek said to him very softly.

Slowly the completely black eyes came to rest onto him once more, his mouth opened and then he said softly. “You will find colour again.” The words were simple, but stated in such a matter of fact tone that Creek had no trouble believing them in the slightest. 

Branch blinked, his eyes had gone back to normal, he lent on the grey troll panting hard, quickly Creek swept him up off of his feet, he placed the blue troll down into a nearby chair and squatted in front of him, Creek took the hands of the blue troll into his and then quickly spoke to Branch in a calm but firm voice. “Take a deep breath and then let it out Branch and then do the same again Branch.” The blue troll did as the other troll directed him to, he found that doing what Creek suggested helped to calm him back down after the vision.

Poppy quickly bought the blue troll a glass of water and some cookies on a plate from his kitchen and held them out to Branch. “Thank you.” He said gratefully to the pink troll, he took a hand out of Creek’s as he took the glass from Poppy first the blue troll then sipped it for a few moments, before he placed the water to one side. With this done he accepted the plate from the Queen, Branch then began to devour the cookies and once he had done so the blue troll let out a deep satisfied sigh. “That’s so much better.” As he spoke Creek reclaimed his hands with his holding onto them, this was the first contact the grey troll had really had with Branch and he wasn’t willing to let it go just yet.

“What you did just now that was amazing Branch!” Poppy said to Branch with a touch of awe to her voice.

The blue troll blushed slightly and then smiled at the Queen. “Thank you I’m still not used to it…I don’t think I ever will be.” Slowly the blue troll looked down at his hands then back to Creek, Branch carefully extracts his hands from the grip of the other troll, the grey troll feels sadness stab him in his heart as this happened, he longed to grab Branch’s hands back, but Creek didn’t feel that he deserved to try and touch the blue troll for a second time after their past.

Quickly the grey troll came to his feet, he walked across the room, Creek looked out of the window, so that he could hide the hurt he felt which Branch not wanting him anywhere near him caused him. As he stood there looking out of the window not seeing the town before him all Creek could hear were his own cruel words going around and around in his head ‘That was an interesting night, you must have been really desperate for affection to let me take you like that. I deserve so much better than you so this won’t happen again.’ and he could still clearly remember the expression of pain on Branch’s face that morning, at first, he’d been pleased with himself for not confessing what he really felt for the once grey troll, now though Creek was haunted by those words and that expression.

Poppy knew what the grey troll was thinking about, Creek had told her all about his one knight with Branch, the pink troll wished that there was something which she could do for Creek and Branch they had booth been hurt by what had happened to them. The Queen looked at the blue troll, then said to him with seriousness in her voice. “I’m sorry Branch…The way we treated you was terrible…We should have listened to you about the Bergen’s…Until you were gone we had no idea that you’d been watching over us and keeping us safe from them for many years. Thank you for protecting us for as long as you did.”

Slowly Branch smiled at her and then said to the Queen. “Thank you for acknowledging my work to keep you all safe over the years.”

“We should have thanked you for it a long time ago, we should have tried to understand you, but we do now. I have to admit that it was only using your bunker as well as the books on survival which you left behind that helped us to make it through Chef finding us.”

“It’s good to know that my books and my bunker helped you all to survive the Bergan’s finding you and in making your way through the wild to us here.” Branch said feeling truly glad that what he had left behind had actually save the lives of the other trolls of his old tribe.

The Queen gently places her hands onto Branch’s shoulders, he looked up into her serious pink eyes and knowing that she had his full attention Poppy addressed him. “Branch thank you, for everything. I want you to come to a ceremony of thanks tonight with Chrysanthemum.”

“Oh Poppy you don’t have to do that.” The blue troll told her blushing slightly as he said this.

The Queen shook her head at him. “No I didn’t have to, but the whole tribe wants to thank you. Please Branch let us thank you.”

The blue troll thought about this for a moment and then gave the Queen a nod. “Very well, I would be pleased to come to your celebration.” 

Poppy leant forward she hugged Branch and whispered to the blue troll. “I know it’s hard but please forgive Creek a little, he is punishing himself for what happened enough already.” As the pink troll pulled back, he met her eyes and gave a small nod, which Poppy returned with a grateful smile on her face before she left them alone in the main room of Branch’s home.

Slowly the blue troll got up from the chair, he walked over to were Creek stood looking out of the window and stood beside him. “Creek?”

The grey troll jumped, with surprise, he snapped his head around to look at Branch standing beside him and took a deep breath this was the closest the blue troll had been to him since he had recovered from his wounds. Branch was standing close enough to him that Creek could actually feel the warmth radiating from the other troll and the grey troll let himself bath in this warmth as though he had never felt warmth before. “Branch…”

“I’m glad to see you’ve recovered from the wounds you had.” The blue troll told him with nothing but honesty.

“Thank you…Branch I need to know is Chrysanthemum my daughter?” As Creek asked him this question the desperation he felt to know the answer to this question was clear in his voice.

There was silence after the grey troll asked Branch this, just when Creek thought that the blue troll wasn’t going to answer his question the blue troll spoke to him at long last. “Yes Creek, Chrysanthemum is your daughter, I named her for you.”

Creek gulped, he fought not to let pain and sadness drown him he managed to say to the other troll. “What you must have thought of me…I can understand why you didn’t tell me…If I were you I wouldn’t have told me either after the way I had behaved towards you. Branch was…Was I your first?”

“Yes you were my first and my only.” Branch told him with honesty.

As the blue troll said he had been the one troll that he had given himself to the grey troll felt the first faint stirrings of hope deep down inside of him and he prayed it wouldn’t be extinguished, but that this would be the start of something changing for the good in his life at last. “Your only…Did I scar you that badly Branch?”

The blue troll shook his head at the grey troll. “It wasn’t and isn’t like that exactly…You hurt me Creek I won’t lie, but I never felt able to give myself to another troll…For me it’s hard to explain why.”

Creek looked into those bright teal eyes and he said to him honestly. “I’m sorry I hurt you…I hope that someday you will forgive me and let me know my daughter.”

“Creek, I am happy to let you get to know Chrysanthemum.” Branch assured the other troll.

“Yes, but will you let me know her as her father? Will you let me tell her I am her father?” Creek asked him with a shaking voice.

The blue troll thought about this for a few moments, he went to answer when Chrysanthemum came dashing into the room, she looked anxiously from her father to Creek and then back to him and then said in a worried voice. “Queen Poppy said you had a visson are you alright dad?”

“I’m fine thanks to Poppy and Creek.” It was in this moment that Branch made his decision, he held a hand out towards his daughter and then said to her. “Come here my flower.” Chrysanthemum came over to her dad, she took his hand into her and looked up at her dad with curious bright teal eyes. Branch took a deep breath, he felt very nervous about doing this but it felt right to him, he turned to Creek and then said to him. “Creek, I’d like you to meet your daughter Chrysanthemum.”

The grey blue eyes, of the grey troll went wide, he hadn’t expected Branch to do this at all, awe, wonder and gratefulness filled him, because Creek knew that he didn’t deserve the precious gift which the troll he had hurt so badly was giving him. “Hello my daughter, I am honoured to meet you at long last.”

Chrysanthemum looked at her father for a long moment, she reached out the hand which Branch wasn’t holding and took hold of one of his hands with this hand. As she did this Creek couldn’t help but think that their daughter was acting almost like a bridge between himself and the troll he loved, it gave him a little more hope adding to the tiny amount he had within him. The grey troll gently touched the face of Chrysanthemum, he stroked his fingers over her cheek and then said softly to the little purple troll. “You are so beautiful, you look a lot like I used to before I lost my colours, but you have your dad’s beautiful eyes.”

“Thank you, Creek…Father…I’m sorry it is going to take me time to get used to calling you that.” The young purple troll told him as gently as possible.

“I understand.” Creek assured her and he meant this, he truly wanted Chrysanthemum to come and know him at her own pace and to feel comfortable calling him father.

Branch spoke to their daughter at this point smiling at her. “Crystal Poppy has invited us to a celebration of thanks tonight, do you want to go?”

“Yes please dad!” The young troll said with excitement.

“Then we will go.” With a cheer the purple troll released the hands of her parents and dashed upstairs to find something to where to the party, Branch watched her go with an indulgent smile.

Creek looked at the blue troll he loved seeing the other male troll smile and he was happy that Branch had let him into his and his daughter’s life. “Thank you Branch.”

“You are welcome Creek. A party, that should be interesting, we costal trolls don’t party much here save for when there is a wedding or a birth in the tribe.” Branch explains to the other troll.

“I see. Well I will see you there.” With this aid Creek left the house to go back to his new home in their new settlement, as he walked the grey troll felt so many different things all at once it was like a tornado had swept through and jumbled up him up inside Creek knew it would take a long time before he knew what to think as well as feel about what had just happened between Branch and himself.


	6. Chapter six

Chapter six:

That night, Branch and Chrysanthemum came to the party Poppy was holding for them, the clearing it was in was surrounded by the new pods of the blue troll’s old tribe, there were small glittering white fairy lights being used to light the area, food was piled on tables to one side of the dancefloor, and the music though cheerful was not as loud as it used to be something which Branch appreciated. As soon as Poppy noticed them, the Queen came straight over to Branch and Chrysanthemum she smiled widely at the blue troll and his daughter the pink troll felt very glad that they had come to the party she had organised for them and then said to Chrysanthemum and Branch. “Thank you for both coming tonight!”

Branch smiled back at her. “We were honoured to have been asked to this celebration.”

The Queen took the hand of the blue troll, she then led Branch forward into the middle of the clearing, as she did so everything fell quiet even the music and Poppy looked around at all of her people before addressing them all. “We have come together tonight to thank Branch for all he did for us. If it were not for him we would not be here.” After she said this Poppy turned her attention to the blue troll, she bowed to him as a mark of respect and then addressed him again. “Branch you had been watching over us and protecting us from harm and we should have been thanking you instead of ignoring you. Tonight we thank you and acknowledge all you tried to do for us and did for us!”

As the Queen finished speaking the other trolls cheered Branch, the blue troll blushed he really wasn’t used to this attention it made him feel very shy suddenly, but despite this feeling he bowed to them all slightly and then said to his old tribe. “I am glad of your thanks, it also makes me happy to know that I was able to help you all to survive the coming of Chef. It is good to see you all again and to be able to celebrate with my old tribe tonight.”

Once Branch had finished speaking to all of the trolls at the party the music came back, Poppy brought him back across the dancefloor to where Chrysanthemum was standing. When the Queen released Branch’s hand, the blue troll held a hand out to this daughter, then shocked the whole tribe by giving the young purple troll a formal bow and saying to her. “Would you honour me with a dance my beautiful little flower?”

“Of course dad!” The little purple said with enthusiasm, she quickly slipped her hand into his and Branch took her out onto the floor. Seeing this Suki played a slow song for them, the DJ watched along with the rest of the awed tribe as the blue troll guided his daughter around the floor in a beautifully smooth waltz. As he did this, many of the trolls watching found themselves wanting nothing more than to dance with the handsome blue male troll. As Branch and Chrysanthemum danced, the blue troll was aware of the eyes on them, but he was very well aware of one particular set of grey blue eyes more than all of the others, Branch fought not to react to Creek’s eyes being onto him and look back at him. When their dance ended, the blue troll beamed a proud smile at his daughter, he took her across the floor and over to were Creek was standing by the side of the dancefloor.

The grey troll looked at them with a mixture of confusion, wonder and fear waring inside him as Branch brought Chrysanthemum towards him. The grey troll had to admit that watching his daughter and the troll he loved dancing together had made Creek ache inside, but he pushed this feeling to one side Creek gave them a small smile and then said to both of them. “You two were wonderful out there.”

“Father why don’t you dance with dad.” As Chrysanthemum said this to them, she put Branch’s hand into Creeks and then smiled at them both.

The two male trolls blushed, the blue troll took a deep breath, he gently but firmly pulled Creek out onto the dancefloor behind him. Once they were in the middle of the dancefloor Branch turned to face him, then took hold of Creek’s other hand, he started to dance with him, this was no high energy dance, it was just a simple slow dance and quickly other trolls started to join them on the floor. The blue troll shot Creek a small smile, the grey troll smiled back slightly, he allowed himself to enjoy the feeling of Branch’s hands in his, he tried not to read too much into the blue troll dancing with him, he couldn’t help but feel that the only reason he was doing so was to make their daughter happy and for no other reason. The blue troll was very happy to be dancing with Creek, he had wanted to ask the grey troll to dance, but he hadn’t been sure how to ask the other male troll after all he knew what it was like to be grey and not want to dance. As this dance drew to an end Branch took Creek off of the dancefloor, he kept a firm hold of the grey troll’s hand, the blue troll guided the other male troll away from the dancefloor and into the forest so that they could talk alone.

Once the blue troll felt that they were far enough from the part to be able to talk together in privacy Branch sat on a rock in a clearing in the forest, he gently, but firmly pulled the grey troll down onto the rock next to him and then asked the other male troll softly. “Why are you grey Creek?” The purple troll swallowed hard, as soon as Branch asked this question he dark feelings swirled inside him, Creek could feel them wanting to drown him. Noticing the destress on the other troll’s face, Branch quickly took both of Creek’s hands into his and said to him firmly and commandingly. “Creek look at me, and breath!”

Quickly the grey troll obeyed this command, he focused his eyes onto Branch’s bright teal ones, he took a deep breath then let it back out and after he had done this a few more times Creek felt a calm come over him slowly. The grey troll squeezed the blue troll’s hands, he felt ever so glad for the help the other troll was trying to give him and said gratefully to Branch. “Thank you.” After a few moments of quiet the grey troll addressed Branch once more. “I’m grey because it’s my fault…It was my fault you left us, if you’d have still been with us maybe we wouldn’t have had to leave home, maybe we wouldn’t have lost everything…It was my fault me and my stupid pride! I hurt you…And I made you run away. I’m sorry I’m so sorry Branch! I…All I wanted to do was…Was…”

“Was what?” Branch asked softly when Creek’s words petered out.

Quickly Creek took his hands out of those of the blue troll, he sprung to his feet, Branch watched with confusion and fear warring with in him as the grey troll paced back and forth in front of him in front of him muttering to himself. Then Creek suddenly turned to face him, he dropped down on his knees in front of Branch, tears started to roll down over the grey troll’s cheeks and lowered his head bowing his body down towards the ground in front of Branch. “This! I wanted to do this! I wanted to get on my knees and beg you! Beg you to forgive me! Please I’m so sorry I’m begging you forgive me for hurting you Branch please forgive me.”

“Oh Creek…You don’t need to…”

Before Branch could finish his sentence, Creek cut him off by saying strongly. “YES! Yes I do! I need to do this! Please forgive me for what I did to you Branch.”

The blue troll was stunned by his words and actions, after a few moments he reached out towards the grey troll, Branch then gently ran his fingers over the curl in Creek’s hair and spoke compassionately to the grey troll. “I forgive you Creek…You hurt me I won’t ever lie about that, but you don’t deserve to be punishing yourself like this…You deserve to be happy.” Slowly Branch slipped off of the rock onto the grass with Creek, gently he took hold of his shoulders, he lifted Creek up so that he was now sitting up, the grey troll watched with wide wonder filled grey blue eyes as Branch took one hand off of one of his shoulders and then tenderly wiped the tears off of his face. 

There was such a compassionate look on the blue troll’s face as he did this that it took the grey troll’s breath away, it was in this moment that Creek could see just how truly kind Branch was and this made him hate himself just a little more. After a few moments of silence between the two of them, the grey troll shook his head at the blue troll and then finally croaked out. “I can never be happy again, not until you are Branch.”

“Oh Creek, I am happy don’t you see that? I have Chrysanthemum, she fills my heart and soul with joy, as I told you before she is why I have colour. You gave me the greatest gift I have ever received in my whole life and I thank you for that.” Branch told him with seriousness.

After he said this to Creek the grey troll suddenly burst out with. “I don’t know how you can thank me for…For that night, getting you with pod and then making you feel you had run away from me rather than tell me what had happened to you!”

Branch gently squeezed his shoulder comfortingly, then used the hand he still had on his face to stroke over Creeks cheek as Branch said to him. “It’s not your fault that I ran away…Not completely…I didn’t think any of the troll’s in the tribe would want me to raise a pod because I grey as well as so different from the rest of you and I couldn’t stand the idea of losing another member of my family.”

“I’m sorry you felt that way Branch, we should never have made you feel like that. I will admit that those words from that morning and the pain on your face they haunt me every night Branch.” Creek confessed to Branch keeping his eyes locked with those of the blue troll desperate to convey with them that he meant these words.

“Creek, you didn’t love me, you never loved me…What happened that night was down to a lot of alcohol…I forgive you and myself we both played a part in all that happened after all.”

“I heard you…I remember you know those words you know.” Creek told him in a very soft voice.

“What words?” Branch asked dreading the fact that it might be the words he had so long hoped that the grey troll hadn’t heard him say.

“You said you loved me…Our daughter wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t loved me so strongly.” Creek told him with a confidence he hadn’t felt for a long time.

Branch let out a deep sigh, he had to admit that some of the fear draining out of him because he was happy to find Creek knowing he’d said he loved him didn’t make the blue troll feel as frightened and embraced as he had thought it would. “That’s true, Chrysanthemum wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t loved you.”

Hearing Branch saying he had loved him and not that he still did cut Creek deeply, but he couldn’t help but feel that he deserved to have lost the love of the troll sitting before him because of all he had done to the other troll and he felt sadness crowding in on him again. “I wish I could take those words back from that morning. I know I can’t…Since we met again you haven’t had a cruel thing to say to me and I deserve you to say the cruellest things you can think of to say to me!”

Branch shook his head at the purple troll, the blue troll took his hand away from the face of the grey troll, he then stroked over Creek’s hair and said to him softly. “I wouldn’t do that to you Creek, you’ve punished yourself enough for what happened. I forgive you…”

“I don’t deserve your forgiveness! I’ve done nothing to deserve it.” Creek said with tears gathering in his eyes once more.

Slowly the blue troll got to his feet, he hated seeing the troll he still loved cry, but Branch wasn’t sure how to tell Creek he loved him even now, then from deep inside a song the blue troll thought he had forgotten came back to him. “You with the sad eyes…Don’t be discouraged.”

Creek gasped with surprise as the other troll sang to him, his head shot up he was amazed by the heavenly voice coming from Branch and his grey blue eyes went wide with wonder even as tears streamed down over his cheeks. The blue troll held out his hands towards the grey troll, Creek took the hands being offered to him and Branch helped him to stand up. Branch released one hand and gently he stroked the tears off of Creek’s cheeks again even as he continued to sing to him. “That’s why I love you.” Branch sang to the grey troll meaning every word of this part of the song.

The eyes of the grey troll went wide again, he smiled slowly, then started to sing with Branch, as he did this the blue troll started to guide Creek around the clearing in a slow simple dance. As the two male trolls danced colour filled Creek once more, Branch was glad to see this, when the grey troll realised what was happening his eyes went wide and filled with joy. When Branch finished his song, the blue troll pulled Creek close to him, he put his arms around the other troll and said to him. “I love you Creek, I still love you, I never stopped, you have all of my heart Creek. Chrysanthemum once asked me if I thought you were my soulmate and I told her that I did think you were…But seeing you again made me realise that you are my soul mate.”

“Oh Branch.” Creek put his arms around Branch, the blue troll kissed him gently on the lips, this wasn’t enough for the purple troll though, he slipped a hand around onto the back of Branch’s head and deepened the kiss. Branch murmured with surprise as Creek did this and he used his hold on the purple troll to bring the other male troll closed to him. Slowly the purple troll started running his fingers through Branch’s hair, the blue troll shivered with pleasure and he clung a little tighter to Creek which filled the purple troll with joy and pleasure.

Eventually Creek broke the kiss, he gently took his fingers out of the blue troll’s hair, then looked at the troll in his arms and said softly. “I love you Branch. I always loved you…Thank you for giving me back my hope, my happiness and my colours.”

Branch smiled, he made him feel wonderful to see Creek like this, with love clear in his eyes the blue troll said softly to the purple troll. “I’m so happy to see you with colour again Creek. I’m sure that Chrysanthemum will be happy as well shall we go and show her?”

“I’d like that.” Hand in hand the two male trolls went back to the party, as they arrived there they found their daughter waiting for them, Chrysanthemum’s eyes went wide at the sight of the two of them together and she raced to her parents. “Dad! Father!” As soon as she reached them the young troll enveloped them both in hug. “Oh Father you have colour again how wonderful! How did it happen?”

“You’re dad is the reason I have colour once more, he forgave me for our past and Branch helped me find hope and happiness again.”

“Does this mean we are going to be a family together now?” Chrysanthemum asked them both hopefully, praying with all of her might that they would say yes.

Creek quickly looked at Branch, he wanted to say yes but he couldn’t help but feel that he didn’t want to rush the blue troll into anything so he chuckles slightly nervously and stuttered out. “Well…I…And your dad…”

Branch gives the purple trolls hand a squeeze and then spoke. “Give us time little flower, things are still tender for us at the moment.”

Chrysanthemum deflated slightly as her dad said this to her, but at the same time she knew that her dad was right, she shouldn’t rush them no matter how much Chrysanthemum yearned to see her father and her dad together and happy she knew that only they could say when they would or if they would be able to be together as a couple permanently. Then and there Chrysanthemum promised herself that she would not rush her parents and she would let them work through everything there was between them at their own pace.


	7. Chapter seven

Chapter seven:

It was after this party of thanks that Poppy turned her attention to prince Mist and as the Queen set out to win the troll she loved for her own the pink troll was very careful to remember what Branch had told her in his vision and showed him her heart. Once the Queen had told the prince of the ocean tribe she loved him the pink troll then wooed him and made sure to show Mist that her feelings for him were constant. Slowly but surely Poppy was thrilled to see the grey blue prince beginning to return her feelings, gradually Mist let himself trust again and allowed the pink troll to heal his long damaged heart. A few months after Poppy had began her campaign to win the prince none of the trolls of either tribe were surprised when the two trolls announced they were betrothed and would as tradition of the royal coastal tribe dictated not marry for two years. Over this two years they would get to know each other more, they would live together and if they found they could not carry on being together then they would be able to break the betrothal amicably.

At the same time as this was going on between the two royal trolls Creek and Branch had started to date after the party, slowly but surely the two of them spent more and more time together over the next few days, weeks and months. They would often go out into the forest together, Creek and Branch worked together gathering things in the forest and talking about many different subjects as they did this. The two male trolls loved spending all of this time together and it helped them both to discover more common ground between them. Branch decided that after Creek going out of his way to join him in the forest and learn about the wild from him that he should learn something from the purple troll in return.

Having decided this the blue troll made his way to Creeks pod, he had his back pack with him and had told Chrysanthemum that he would be out with her father for the day and he had been very glad that Shimmer Rain had been more than willing to watch the younger troll for the day for Branch. When the blue troll came to the door to Creek’s pod he felt fear bubble up in him and the blue troll took a few moments to push this fear down. Once Branch had done this he raised a hand, before he could think to back out of this the blue troll determinedly knocked on the door to the pod. A few moments after this Creek opened the door to his pod, when he noticed that Branch was standing there his grey blue eyes went wide and he said with clear surprise. “Branch?”

“Good morning Creek, may I come in?” Branch asked him feeling suddenly shy.

The purple troll smiled widely at him, Creek stepped to one side and then said with happiness to the other male troll. “Of course, come on in!”

Glad of this warm welcome Branch came into the pod, he put his backpack down onto one side of the entrance and then he pulled out of the backpack a tin. The blue troll turned to Creek with the tin, he held it out towards the purple troll and then said to him with a smile on his face. “I made cupcakes…I hope you like chocolate ones.”

“Chocolate cupcakes sound wonderful thank you Branch.” Creek told him as he accepted the tin from Branch.

The blue troll blushed, he felt suddenly nervous as he spoke to the purple troll this time. “I’m sure you are wondering why I am here…I was thinking after all the time you had spent going about in the forest with me learning from me, that it would be good for me to learn something from you which made use of your skills…I was thinking it might be nice to learn to meditate and do yoga…That is as long as you are willing to teach me Creek.”

The spiritual troll found himself grinning widely at Branch, he felt thrilled that the blue troll was willing to trust him enough to let him teach him both yoga and meditation. “I would be thrilled and honoured to teach you both meditation and yoga.”

“Thank you Creek.” Branch said very gratefully to the other male troll.

“I would suggest that we start with meditation as this is easier to learn.” Creek told the blue troll, after he said this the purple troll took the tin of cupcakes into the kitchen, when he returned from the kitchen Branch had come into the main room of the pod and was standing waiting for him with a bright blue yoga mat under one arm. Seeing this made Creek chuckle slightly, it proved to him that there was still part of the blue troll which was still good at organising and planning. “Trust you to come prepared.”

Branch shrugged at the purple troll and chuckled himself. “I maybe blue, but there are still parts of my old self in me.”

“I can see that.” As Creek said this he got his own sunshine yellow yoga mat and placed it on the floor, at the same time Branch also placed his on the floor near to his. The two male trolls sat down on the yoga mats facing each other, the purple troll looks at the way the blue troll was sitting and then said. “You sit cross legged very well and place your hands onto your knees like this. Take deep even breaths, good Branch just like that, now when you feel ready close your eyes, still your mind and try not to focus on anything.”

Branch did as the blue troll did as Creek told him to, it took him a few moments to get used to it and then slowly he started to enjoy meditation. Eventually the blue troll opened his eyes, he felt very at peace he smiled to himself it was a nice feeling the blue troll decided. Branch then looked across at Creek who looked completely at peace and he noticed that there was a small smile on his lips which just made the blue troll want to kiss him. Branch really found it hard to resist this urge, so the blue troll decided not to, instead he moved towards Creek, then he gently pressed his lips to those of the purple troll, as he did this Creek’s grey blue eyes shot open and he took a shocked breath through his nose.

Slowly the purple troll brought one had up, he gently placed it to the back of Branch’s head keeping it in place, he started kissing the blue troll back and then used his other arm to pull the one he loved into him. Branch brought his hands up, he placed one of them onto one of Creek’s shoulders and then ran the fingers of his other hand into the two tone hair of the purple troll. As he felt Branch’s finger’s combed through his hair Creek shivered with pleasure, he pulled the blue troll closer to him and pressed their flat chests together earning a groan of desire from Branch as he did so. The blue troll broke the kiss, they pulled apart a little as they both panted for breath for a few moments and then eventually Creek spoke to Branch with absolute sincerity. “You are my soul mate Branch. Chrysanthemum was right about us I can feel it.”

“I can feel it too Creek.” Branch confessed his voice soft, he felt so at peace in Creek’s arms it was like he had come home at long last and he never wanted to stop feeling this way.

Creek gathered up all of his courage and asked a question he had been longing to ask with his whole heart for weeks now. “I love you Branch, I love you so much, may I make my home and a future with you and our daughter?”

“I would like that very much and I know that Crystal would be thrilled.” Branch told the other troll, but before the purple troll can say anything to thank him for these words, the blue troll gathered Creek close to him and then spoke to him again. “Creek I…Would you…Would you, come to live with us as my husband, my partner in life?”

The grey blue eyes of the spiritual troll went wide, his mouth opened and closed as this unexpected question from the blue troll caused his brain came to a complete halt. Creek could hardly believe or comprehend that Branch had asked him a question he had longed to hear, but had never thought to hear from him. The silence from the purple troll was so profound and went on for so long that Branch was beginning to think that Creek was never going to answer him. Slowly the blue troll began to break his embrace with the one he loved, as Branch started to do this it snapped the purple troll out of his shock, quickly Creek tightened his hold on the blue troll and pulled him back against him as the spiritual troll did this he said to the other male troll with great happiness clear in his voice as he did so. “Yes, yes Branch, I would be honoured to become your husband and life partner, but are you sure…Are you sure you want to marry…?”

The words of Creek vanished as Branch kissed him strongly, throwing all his weight against the purple troll, which caused them both to topple over onto the floor of the pod. Creek let out a groan of pleasure as the blue troll continued to kiss him hard, Branch started running his fingers through the two tone hair of the troll he loved, slowly he brought his other hand down from Creek’s shoulder and then ran his fingers down and then over the skin of the spiritual troll’s skin. The purple troll broke the kiss, he let out a tortured groan which Branch loved hearing from Creek the moment he made it and all he wanted was to make the purple troll make that noise over and over again. 

The blue troll captured the lips of the other male trolls with his once more, he was dimly aware of the fact that he is glowing and so is Creek a mark they are soul mates just as their daughter had told him they were. This glowing causes Branch to remember that they had both been doing so the night when he had conceived Chrysanthemum, and seeing this was happening between them again thrilled the blue troll rather than concerned him. Branch wasn’t the only one to remember this glowing from their one night together Creek did to and he felt awe and wonder filling him as it started to happen once more. The purple troll could feel Branch’s body becoming receptive to conceiving a pod and Creek wanted nothing more than to make another pod with his mate. Still kissing the blue troll, the spiritual troll rolled them over, he broke the kiss, Creek growled down at the other troll who let out a noise of submission which instantly fed the natural instincts of the purple troll who pressed Branch down more firmly into the floor of the pod.

 

It was several hours later that Branch and Creek made their way from the purple troll’s pod to the trunk home of the blue troll and their daughter. With him the spiritual troll had all things he would need to bring with him to make himself comfortable in his new home for now, Creek had decided that he would spend the next few days moving his things into his new home with his family. The purple troll was feeling thrilled to be making his home with his family, he was also very much looking forward to seeing Chrysanthemum and telling her all of the wonderful news.

When the young purple troll came home from spending the day with Shimmer Rain as well as doing her duties as a priestess, she came in through the front door and called out cheerfully. “I’m home!”

She almost died of shock when instead of just her dad’s voice answering her two male voices chorused together. “Welcome home little flower!”

Chrysanthemum raced into the main room of the tree stump, as she took in the scene before her, the young purple trolls teal blue eyes went wide, and she could feel shock, joy and wonder filling her. Creek was working on dinner in the kitchen and her dad was sitting in a chair by the fire sewing a blanket to trade with the other trolls. Chrysanthemum could hardly bring herself to hope that what she could see before her meant what she hoped with all of her heart it meant and so she asked in a soft disbelieving voice. “Dad? Father?”

Branch looked up from his work at his daughter and then smiled at her. “Yes, little flower?”

“Is something going on?” She asked them both with worry.

The blue troll looked at the spiritual troll in the kitchen, then back to their daughter and gave her a nod. “Yes something has happened. Your father and I, have discovered we are still very much in love, and that you were right we are soul mates…Your father and I are going to get married and he is going to live here with us as a family. We hope that you will be pleased with this news.”

As Branch had told her all of this Chrysanthemum’s eyes had gone huge, a massive grin came onto the face of the young purple troll and she let out a noise of pure joy before the young priestess flew across the room and hugged Branch hard. After she did this Chrysanthemum dashed over to Creek, she embraced her father in a massive hug, the young purple troll released Creek and then said to her parents in a joy filled voice. “This is wonderful! Oh I’m so glad you are going to be married and we are going to be a family.”

Branch looked to Creek, he looked back at him with love clear in his grey blue eyes, the spiritual troll smiled and then spoke to Chrysanthemum. “There is more news.”

“More?” She asked them with shock, both her parents gave her a nod and then Chrysanthemum said to Creek and Branch. “What is it?”

It was the blue troll who answered this question from their daughter. “You’re going to be a big sister.”

The little purple troll went quiet for a few moments and then Chrysanthemum realised what her dad was telling her. “A pod! Dad you’re with pod!” She said with a mixture of joy and shock.

Branch grinned at her widely, he felt joy filling him as he thought about the new life growing inside him and gave his daughter a nod. “I am.”

Chrysanthemum ran back to her dad and hugged him more gently than she had the first time, as she released Branch and stood back to look at him the young purple troll asked her dad. “Are you sure?”

“Oh yes I am very sure little flower.” The blue troll assured her, he put the blanket which had been concealing his tummy from his daughter to one side on a table and stood up.

As Branch stood up Chrysanthemum could see the small bump in her dad’s tummy area and she knew that there really was the pod growing inside him and she was instantly fascinated by this bump. The young purple troll somehow managed to drag her eyes away from the bump up to her dad’s face and asked him gently. “Can I touch it?”

“Yes little flower just be gentle.” Branch told her in a soft voice.

Carefully the young purple troll placed her hands onto the tummy of her dad, it amazed her to think that there was a new life growing inside there just as she had once done. “Oh wow this is amazing!” The young purple troll said with enthusiasm and excitement, Chrysanthemum was so excited by the news of her parents coming together and of her new sibling.


	8. Chapter eight

Chapter eight:

The actual wedding of the two male trolls had been a very simple affair which suited both Creek and Branch perfectly, they wore simple smart black suites for their wedding and the blue troll had been given away to Creek by Chrysanthemum. The purple troll and the blue troll had both been very proud of their beautiful daughter on this day, as Chrysanthemum had been glowing as dressed in a lovely dress of deep blue sapphire fabric to match her father’s hair colouring she had brought her dad down the aisle to her father. The vows of the two male trolls had made simple but heartfelt vows, their first kiss as a married couple though short had clearly shown both tribes their love for each other. The wedding of Branch and Creek was celebrated by both tribes in one large fused party it was a night of much joy between both tribes.

 

Creek and Chrysanthemum watched with awe as Branch’s bump grew larger and larger as time passed by, over this time the blue troll made their child a blanket and a rag troll doll just as he had done for their daughter. One morning five months later the blue troll woke up early, he let out a little gasp, as soon as he did this the purple troll’s eyes shot open, Creek had been feeling very nervous as Branch’s size had grown and his time had started to draw closer, he quickly looked over his husband and then said to him with concern clear in his voice. “Are you alright love?”

“I’m fine Creek.” Branch assured him, the blue troll took the purple troll’s hands in his and very gently placed them to his large tummy, a few moments after Branch did this the eyes of the purple troll opened wide as the baby growing inside the blue troll moved under his hands. 

Creek’s grey blue eyes shot to the bright teal blue ones of his husband and Branch smiled at his clearly happily surprised husband. “Oh…This is…Oh Branch.” The purple troll stuttered out unable to find the right words to tell the other troll how wonderful feeling this was for him or how glad he was to be able to feel their child move within him this time.

“It appears that someone wanted to say hello to you beloved.” Branch said to Creek softly, before he gave the purple troll a soft quick kiss on the lips.

Creek smiled widely at Branch, he took his hands from the growing bump of their child and carefully hugged the troll he loved close to him. “Chrysanthemum is going to love feeling her baby brother or sister moving inside of you.”

“Yes she is.” The blue troll said with agreement.

When the two trolls came into main room their daughter was eating breakfast, it was Branch who addressed Chrysanthemum. “Good morning little flower. I have something to show you this morning.”

The little purple troll looked over at her dad, his words had made her very curious and so she asked Branch. “What is it dad?”

“Come over here.” The blue troll told her, gesturing her over to him.

Chrysanthemum quickly got her feet, the little purple troll made her way over to her dad, Branch took her hand into his and gently rested it to his bump. A few moment later the baby growing inside her dad moved, as she felt this the bright teal eyes of Chrysanthemum went wide and she said softly. “Oh! Hello little one…” She felt the baby move again and giggled. “I can’t wait to meet you.”

As the baby gave a particularly sharp jab, Branch winced a little and then said to his daughter. “I think the baby is looking forward to meeting you too.” After he said this the blue troll winced again, he took a few deep breaths and then spoke to Creek. “Beloved I think you had best get Petal and take Crystal to Shimmer Rain.”

Two sets of eyes went wide, panting Branch went back to the bedroom to lay back down, as his husband did this Creek acted quickly, he took hold of their daughter’s hand and said to her. “It’s time!”

“I know, I will take myself to Shimmer Rain you go and get Petal for dad.”

“Thank you little flower.” Creek said to his daughter feeling very proud of her in that moment, they both quickly made their way out of the home and into the town. Chrysanthemum hoped with all of her heart that everything would be alright with the birth of her new brother or sister. When the young troll came to Shimmer Rains home the light pink troll was waiting for her, she led the younger priestess inside, the older troll sat her down on a chair and she got Chrysanthemum hot chocolate and some cookies for while she was waiting.

After fetching Petal for Branch, Creek started to pace around the main room of the tree stump, Poppy, Mist and the rest of the snack pack were doing their best to keep him calm, but they knew that they weren’t really having any effect on their friend’s nervous state. After what felt like an eternity to the purple troll Petal opened the door into the main room and smiled widely at Creek. “Congratulations Creek, everything is fine and Branch is waiting for you.”

As she said this to him a strange kind of calm came over the spiritual troll and he said to the young healer gratefully. “Thank you.” He then walked from the main room to their bedroom door, Creek opened the door he stepped into the room and the scene before him made the purple troll smile widely. Branch was sitting up in bed with pillows piled up behind him, in his arms wrapped up in the blanket which the blue troll had been making was a grey purple troll child, with blue grey eyes and bright green and blue hair.

As the blue troll noticed his husband standing in the doorway Branch smiled at him. “Come and meet your daughter Creek.”

Smiling like an idiot Creek came over to the bedside and looked down at the baby in his arms. “Oh Branch she’s beautiful.”

“She looks just like your mother.” The blue troll said softly to the one he loved as he admired their daughter all over again.

The purple troll looked down at his husband with wide eyes and then asked with an awed tone of voice. “You knew my mother?”

Branch looked up at him, he gave his husband a nod, he then looked back down at their daughter with a distant look in his eyes. “Yes, she…Dawn was…A kind troll, I liked her very much. Creek I would like to name her for your mother.”

Creek smiled at Branch, he felt touched by the fact that the one he loved wanted to name their daughter for his mother, but the purple troll felt that the blue troll’s family should also be taken into account when naming their daughter and so he asked Branch. “What was your mother’s name Branch?”

“Rose.” The blue troll told him with a look of confusion on his face.

“Then I think it would be fitting for her name to be Dawn Rose for both of our mothers.” Creek said to his husband very gently.

Slowly Branch smiled, it grew wide and then he said softly. “Dawn Rose, yes that’s perfect Creek.”

After the blue troll said this the purple troll kissed the one he loved on the forehead, then for a moment on the lips before he then said to Branch in a glad voice. “I am glad you like my idea love.”

The blue troll gave his husband a mischievous smile and then addressed him. “I’m afraid I’ve been keeping a little secret.”

Creek frowned at him with confusion. “I don’t understand?”

Branch gestured over at the nearby crib and then said. “Go over to the crib and have a look.”

Still frowning with bewilderment the purple troll went over to the crib, as Creek looked into it his eyes went wide again, as laying in the crib was another baby troll sleeping. This baby troll was teal blue skinned with royal blue hair it looked just like Branch and seeing this fact made Creek smile widely. He was quick to notice that the baby was wrapped within another blanket with a rag troll both clearly made by Branch. “Twins…We had twins?” Creek asked his husband with surprise despite the fact that this was obvious.

“We did in deed. He’s a handsome one.” Branch said to his husband.

“A boy…Have you thought of a name yet?” As the purple troll asked him this, he gently lifted their sleeping son up out of the crib into his arms, the spiritual came over to the bed and Creek sat on the edge of the bed holding their son.

The blue troll shook his head and then answered this question. “No, I thought we could think of one together.”

Creek looked back down at their son, who opened his grey blue eyes to look up at him, with a smile the spiritual troll said softly to his husband. “Sky, I think he should be called Sky.”

“Sky…” Branch said repeating this name trying it out to see what he thought of it for their son, the baby gurgled slightly as the blue troll said this to him and Branch chuckled as their son did this. “I think he likes it…Very well then Sky you shall be.” 

For the purple troll sitting here with his children with him and his husband by his side the purple troll made him feel that at last he had found the peace and joy which he had been missing in his life. Creek knew that Chrysanthemum was very happy to have him in her life, as well as the fact that they were a family now and the purple troll was very thankful for this knowledge. The spiritual troll knew he was forgiven completely by Branch and Creek was very glad that he was going to be building a wonderful future with the troll that he loved with all of his heart, his soulmate Branch. After thinking all of this the purple troll smiled to himself, without explaining what had been on his mind Creek kissed Branch on the forehead.

A little while later there was a knock on the door, the bedroom door opened slowly, Chrysanthemum put her head around the door and then asked her parents. “Can I come in?”

“Of course!” Branch and Creek said together and smiling at her widely.

“So do I have a brother or a sister?” The little purple troll asked curiously as she approached the bed.

The two male trolls smiled at each other and then Creek answered the question. “You have both.”

Chrysanthemum’s eyes went wide as she realised that each of her parents held a baby and then said with utter shock. “Twins! You had twins!”

“I did.” Branch told her with a smile. “Meet your sister Dawn Rose and your brother Sky.”

As Chrysanthemum stroked the cheek of her sister and then her brother as she said. “Oh they are both so beautiful…I wonder if either of them will be spiritually gifted like me?”

It was the blue troll answered this question. “Shimmer Rain will soon tell us, she is sensitive to other trolls with spiritual gifts after all.”

“Crystal would you mind inviting the snack pack to come in and meet our little ones?” Creek asked her. 

“No of course not!” Quickly the young troll opened the door and called out into the room beyond the door. “Dad and father say that you can all come in!” A few moments later the snack pack all came into the room, they admired the twins, they agreed their names were perfect for them and Satin and Chenille were especially happy to see a new set of twins in the tribes. As Poppy looked at the children in Branch’s and Creek’s arms she wished with all of her heart that one day she would have children with Mist. Little did the pink troll Queen know that she would have her wish would be granted a year after she would marry the troll she had come to love with all of her heart.


End file.
